Seasons of the Sun
by Ta-Ni Kitsune
Summary: An arrogant trainer runs afoul of an elderly Ninetales, and is cursed into the form of a newborn Vulpix. How will his new life play out, and will he change in the process?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni Kitsune here. This idea has been tumbling around in my head for the past couple of days, but I'm not sure if I should run with it or not. So, I'll put it up here and ask you guys! Let me know if I should just leave it as is, or make it a full story.**

Henry Johnson was a Pokémon Master, or at least he thought he was. His Pokémon respected him almost to the point of fear, and any opponent he faced was wiped out completely in no time at all. He felt he was on top of the world, but always desired a harder challenge. He'd already beaten his region's Elite Four and Champion, but declined the title as it would prevent him from travelling. He wanted something more; an opponent he felt would truly test his skills. He even thought of seeking out one of the legendary Pokémon, confident he would beat them.

One day, he overhead of a very powerful Pokémon living in a forest nearby, and thinking it might be a legendary, he set out with his single strongest Pokémon to find and catch it. After wandering the woods for a few days, he finally found a cave deep within the trees, sheltered from the elements, and there he saw it. An elderly Ninetales lay at the entrance to the cave, her fur turned almost pure white with age. He knew that Ninetales only grew more powerful with age, and as they reached one thousand years old, their power was said to rival a legendary's. This was the opponent he had been looking for.

He stepped forward and shouted, "I challenge you, Ninetales! Face me with all your power!" The fox's ears twitched and the creature slowly rose to her feet. However, when her red eyes opened, there was a deep fire burning within their depths that belied her old age, and almost made Henry pause. Regaining his confidence, he called out his Salamence and ordered it to use Earthquake. Just as the ground began to shake, the Ninetales leapt into the air so quickly it seemed to have shed a couple centuries in an instant.

The Ninetales he now faced as the attack ended was bristled with anger and annoyance, one who he had disturbed unfairly and would fight full force. Henry smiled; that's exactly what he wanted. "Use Dragon Rage!" he yelled, watching with glee as his Salamence charged. His grin was then knocked from his face as the Ninetales dodged the attack nimbly and whacked his Pokémon with its tails. At first he thought it was a simple Tail Whip, but then he noticed the spark of electricity dancing along his Pokémon's scales and bewildered look in its eyes, and knew it was suddenly paralyzed and confused.

_There's no move like that,_ he thought as the Ninetales confidently walked up to his Pokémon and smirked at him before swinging its tails again, this time shimmering with iron. It then charged up a ball of flame within its mouth before unleashing a massive Fire Blast that rendered the Salamence unconscious in seconds. His strongest Pokémon, defeated without dealing a single blow. He recalled his fainted Pokémon and turned to leave, inwardly seething, but sensed something behind him and turned to see the Ninetales approach him.

She regarded him with an odd look on her muzzle, but then smirked again and turned away, a haughty air hovering around her. This was more than Henry could take. He was the most powerful Pokémon Trainer in the world, and this no-good Pokémon treated him like he was a simple rookie. Enraged and not thinking, he reached out for the retreating Ninetales, intent on grabbing it by the neck and forcing it to acknowledge him. However, he misjudged his reach and instead his hand encircled one of the flowing tails behind her.

As soon as his hand touched the fur of the tail, he felt the air grow cold and the Ninetales paused midstep. However, as she turned around, the fire in her eyes had turned dark with hatred. "_HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY TAILS!_" she screamed telepathically in his head. He stumbled backwards in complete terror, and then found himself unable to move or cry out; she had completely paralyzed him with her glare. Slowly she stepped forward, and with each step she seemed to get larger and larger, towering over him. Then, he noticed that his clothes were also getting looser and baggier; he was quite literally shrinking, getting younger by the second!

"_You may think you're this great and all-powerful trainer, but you're really nothing more than an arrogant little kit,_" she spat. "_In fact, that's exactly what you will be, when I'm done with you!_" A ball of bluish-purple flame formed in her mouth and she unleashed it all over Henry, who had aged back into a toddler, bathing him in unnatural flames and incinerating his clothing. The flames themselves didn't hurt, but then huge waves of pain wracked his body as it slowly began to change. He could feel his bones grinding as they contorted and changed, turning him from biped to quadruped. His nose and mouth bulged out into a muzzle, and his ears painfully moved up to the top of his head and grew pointed. His spine shifted and stretched, as a hairless tail sprouted behind him. Snow-white fur rippled down his skin, covering him from nose to tail. All the while, he kept shrinking, getting smaller and smaller.

As the pain overwhelmed Henry and he began to slip into unconsciousness, he heard the Ninetales say, in her normal voice, "When you wake, you will no longer remember your life as a human; you will be a newborn Vulpix kit in mind and body. However, if you do happen to remember, come and find me; I'd love to see how much you have 'grown'." And with that, his vision went black, and he knew no more.

**There you have it. The rest is up to you guys! Let me know if i should leave it as is, or make a full story of it. Read, review, and May your Ember never fade.**


	2. Chapter 2 - Awakening

**The fans have spoken: the story will continue! Many people wanted to know what came next for our Trainer-turned-Vulpix, so here it is! Note: from now on, I will be writing from his point of view, for a more contained experience. Enjoy!**

_Cold… Quiet… Dark…_

I slowly wake, feeling very stiff, as if my body doesn't feel right somehow. A brisk breeze ruffles against my fur, sending another spike of chill through my tiny body. I can feel my inner flame protesting, flickering and threatening to go out. I try to open my eyes, to banish the darkness from my sight, but I can't; something is keeping them closed, as if they were sealed shut. I feel my mouth part and air escape in some sort of cry or whimper, but no sound reaches my ears; they are blocked, or maybe sealed as well. I curl up into a tiny ball, trying to escape the stinging wind, but the cold pierces through me.

Suddenly, I notice slight vibrations under me; soft at first, but growing stronger. Some…thing must be coming, and whatever it is feels larger than me. I hold my body very still, in case it's a predator, but the cold wind makes me tremble slightly. Wait… it's stopped. No, it's changing direction; the vibrations moving around me. Is… is it circling me? Trying to size me up for its dinner?

As the source moves upwind, the cold breeze dies down, letting my tiny body recover from its assault. Curious, I uncurl slightly and raise my head, my nose twitching as I sought some sort of scent from the large thing. Whatever it was, it was clearly alive; I could smell heat and slight smoky hint, among other things I didn't recognize. My inner flame quivered in response, begging me to go closer. I uncurled some more and tried to stand, but my body was too weak and I collapsed again. Still, I held my head up and crawled toward it, making quiet mewling sounds as if pleading.

As the scent got closer, a sudden jolt knocked me down again, and the vibrations from the thing stopped; maybe it sat or lay down? I crawled close, feeling the heat increase and bolster my strength. Then, I felt something tickling my nose; similar to my own fur when I curled up, but coarser. _Could…could this be… my Meema?_ I thought. The creature didn't move; it appeared to be waiting for me to do something, though what, I didn't know.

Then, a new scent wafted by my nose, a slight sweet and sour smell, causing my tummy to rumble. I inched toward it, finding the source to be some small bump against the rough fur. My tummy rumbled again, stronger this time, so I opened up my mouth and bit down on the bump. A cool, creamy liquid slid down my throat; it tasted so good, I bit down harder, trying to get as much as possible. I drank and drank until my tummy bulged before I let go, feelings of pleasure rippling through me. Then, I realized the creature was shaking next to me, for some reason; I didn't care though. My full tummy slowly lulled me back to sleep, so I moved a little closer into the fur and curled up again. As I dropped off, I felt a course, wet object stroking my head; the sensation soothed me even more, and I was out like a light in moments.

**Thus begins his new life as a newborn Vulpix. Who is the mystery creature? What will happen to our protagonist next? Find out next time!**

**Please read, review, and comment. And may your Ember never fade!**


	3. Chapter 3 - Discovery

**Hey, everybody! The next chapter is here, and maybe we'll find out who the mysterious creature was... Take a look!**

I'm not sure how long I slept (a day, maybe two?), but I slowly woke to a deep rumbling sound very close to me. I felt my ears twitch back and forth, trying to make out any other sound besides the rumbling, so whatever had blocked them before was gone now. I whimpered slightly, surprised to hear myself over the noise, and tried to move. _Since I could hear,_ I thought, _maybe I can see as well?_ I slowly opened my eyes, only to see nothing but a creamy blur surrounding me. As my eyes began to focus in the dim light, the blur resolved into a familiar texture: long, shaggy fur. I think it must be belly fur, probably belonging to the massive creature from before, which was probably the source of the rumbling as well; it had curled up around me, fast asleep. I squirmed a little more, and the rumbling stopped.

As it uncurled, I could finally see just how big it was, and even the word 'massive' wasn't enough to describe it; it towered over me, blocking out the setting sun, and even its paws were as large as I was long. Its fur was mostly orange, with large black stripes across its back and cream fur on its belly and paws. I caught the scent from earlier coming from it, and something about it told me the creature was female, not to mention the presence of small nipples hidden by her belly fur. As she turned to face me, her face almost seemed scary; sharp, piercing eyes stared from over a long, canine muzzle, complete with a couple teeth peeking out. Yet, something about the gaze seemed kind, almost caring, and I instinctively knew she wouldn't hurt me. Hesitantly, I spoke with a quiet yip, "M-meema?"

Her eyes flicked away from me, with a slight hint of sadness, and she replied with a deep rumbling growl, "No, little one. I'm not your Meema. You may call me Nana, if you want, but my true name is Firedancer." Her voice also betrayed a hint of sadness, as if she wished I _was_ hers. I tilted my head in confusion; if she wasn't my Meema, then where was she? Was she just away for a moment? "W-where is… Meema?" I asked, a note of sadness sneaking its way into my voice; I was trying my hardest not to cry. She didn't reply for a moment, but then she said, "I don't know. An old friend of mine brought you to me; she claimed she found you newly-hatched in the forest, and asked me to take care of you instead, since she was too old to do so herself."

Some of what she said was too hard to understand, but I figured most of it out: my Meema left me all alone for some reason, and now Nana was taking care of me. I broke down and started to cry, tiny tears streaking down the side of my face. Nana stepped up to me and curled around me, making soothing noises into my fur. "Hush, my little Vulpix; don't cry. I'll take care of you; there's nothing to be afraid of." My ears twitched at what she said, and I stopped just long enough to stammer, "V-vul…pix?" I looked at myself through my tears, and noted my pure white fur and paws, as well as my single white tail behind me. _I… I don't look like Nana at all,_ I thought.

"Yes, you are a Vulpix, although newborn. Though we share a type, I called an Arcanine," she explained. I wanted to ask more, but she began stroking between my ears with her tongue, sending waves of calm through my small body, banishing my fear and thoughts. Once I calmed down, I opened my mouth to ask again, but was interrupted, this time by my own tummy. It growled loudly, protesting being empty for over a day, and I blushed slightly. "Nana, I…hungry," I complained, followed by another growl from my tummy. She chuckled, a laugh which shook her whole body, and rolled over on her side. "Very well," she replied. "Just don't bite so hard this time. Even your tiny milk teeth still hurt, you know."

I tried to stand and walk over to her, but my legs still refused to support me; I had to crawl the foot or so to Nana's belly to reach the nipples. I grabbed onto one of them, using my lips instead of my teeth this time, and suckled long and deep. The milk still tasted just as good as the first time, and within moments, I was full. Releasing the nipple, I snuggled up to Nana's belly fur and closed my eyes. As I fell asleep, I mumbled, "Thank you… Nana." However, if she replied, I didn't hear it; I was fast asleep in minutes.

**There you have it. We meet his caretaker, Firedancer the Arcanine. But what will happen to him now? What new discoveries will he figure out? Find out next time!**

**Please read and review, and may your Ember never fade!**


	4. Chapter 4 - A name and a home

**Hey, everybody! I'm here with another chapter of Vulpix TF, just in time for the new year. What will happen next?**

As I awoke, the first thing I noticed is that night had fallen. However, I was hanging in midair; my paws are far off the ground and the trees are flying past in the shadows! I panicked and started squirming, a whimper rising in my throat. My mind was screaming _Predator! Help!_ Suddenly, the moving stopped, and I felt myself being put down. As soon as my paws touched the earth, I spun around, landing on my tail with a painful whine. I looked up to see Nana standing over me; she was the one carrying me.

"I see you're up, little one," she said, a smile on her muzzle. "Sorry for the scare; I was carrying you back to my den. The middle of the forest is no place for a newborn, not with the threat of predators and two-legs, and especially not at night." I looked down at my paws sheepishly, and mumbled, "Sorry, Nana." She shook her head. "It wasn't your fault; you reacted properly on instinct. Keep that in mind for later."

I picked myself up, finding my legs were strong enough to hold me up finally. However, when I tried to walk forward, I tripped and fell down again. My feet felt over-large, clumsy; almost as if they weren't my own. I heard Nan sigh, then felt teeth gripping the scruff of fur behind my neck. I was once more in the air, but since I knew it was Nana this time, the fear never came. Instead, I hung limp on instinct, letting her carry me without much effort.

I tried to look around without moving my head, watching trees blur by in the shadows. To my surprise, I could see somewhat well in the gloom; for some reason, I felt like this was new somehow. Nothing looked distinct, so I focused on the various scents speeding past my nose. Pine needles, damp soil, and other forest smells travelled by, riding the chill wind that whipped around me.

After some time, I felt Nana begin to slow down, and looked up into what looked like a large cave carved into the hillside. As she slowed to a walk, she ducked her head in order to clear the opening, causing my paws and tails to brush the ground for a moment. However, the cave beyond was much larger; in fact it was so big the sheer size was lost in the gloom. Nana set me down near the middle of the cave, so I tried to look around; however, the darkness was too deep to see much.

Suddenly, a burst of fire shot out of Nana's mouth, striking a pile of sticks right next to me and setting them alight! A wash of heat swept over me, banishing the lingering cold from the run; I shivered in gratefulness. Curious, I stumbled a little closer to the crackling flames, as if drawn toward its light and heat, and tried waving a paw through the fire. I'm not sure why I expected otherwise, but the fire didn't hurt me; being a creature of fire like Nana, it wouldn't harm me.

I felt Nana lay down again, so I stumbled back to her, managing a couple of steps before falling this time. I could see her smile slightly at the progress as I curled up next to her. She gave my head curl a couple of strokes to untangle it, then asked, "By the way, little one, do you have a name? You deserve a proper name, rather than a pet name like 'little one'." I thought for a moment, tilting my head slightly; deep in the back of my mind, I could tell I DID have a name, but whatever it was, I couldn't remember. I shook my head, and she replied, "Well, how about I call you Sol? I overheard one of the two-legs mention that it meant 'sun' in their language, and I've come to see you as a bright light in my life, like a little sun." I smiled; I like it! "Thank you, Nana Firedancer!" I replied with a yip, snuggling deeper into her fur and drifting off into sleep once more.

**And there you have it. Now, he has a new name, and I don't have to worry about trying to not spoil it! Anyway, what's next in Sol's new life? Find out next time!**

**Read, Review, and May your Ember never fade!**


	5. Chapter 5 - Growth

**Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni here, bringing you another chapter of my Vulpix TF story. By the way, if anyone can come up with a good name, let me know in the reviews! Anyway, let's find out what happens next with Sol!**

Slowly, days passed. Since I was too weak to move and do much besides eat and sleep, nothing exciting happened. However, as my namesake crossed the sky time and again, I grew steadily stronger. Soon, I could stand on my own and walk confidently around the cave. Sometimes, when I wake from a nap and look around in the darkness, I notice Nana wasn't around; the first time I found out, I thought she had left me, and started to whine and cry. However, she came back soon after, and rushed over to me when she saw my tears. "Why are you crying?" she asked.

I looked up at her and said, "I-I thought you… abandoned me. Like my… Meema…" She shook her head and licked away my tears. "Of course not, my dear Sol. I must hunt for myself, but I will always be back, and with plenty of milk for you. Speaking of, are you hungry?" I nodded, and she lay down on her side so I could feed. After that, on later days, I wasn't so scared anymore.

As days turned to moons, I could feel myself getting larger. My white fur slowly turned into pale orange, and the tip of my tail looked like it wanted to split in two, but I didn't feel anything. However, Nana looked concerned about something, and I overheard her mumbling about 'runt of the litter'. I was curious, and a little concerned by the word 'runt' (as if I heard it before), so I asked her, "Nana? What is… a runt?"

She seemed a little surprised, but replied, "When a kit or pup is born smaller than the others, it's called a runt. It's nothing bad; it just means you have more growing to do to catch up to a normal Vulpix your age." "Then, why were you sad?" I asked. "I was more puzzled, kit. I didn't know why you were left all alone in the woods, a healthy kit like yourself. I figure you were probably the runt of your litter, and may have been left behind to keep the rest alive."

Again, most of what she said went over my head, but what I caught brought tears to my eyes (why am I crying so much lately?). "Meema left me? She wanted me to… die?" Nana pulled me close, brushing away my tears. "No, honey. She only had the welfare of her kits to think of. It's possible she left you there in hopes someone else could take better care of you than her. And, she was right, wasn't she? I found you."

I felt a little better, but I had to ask, "W-will I see her again?" "I'm sure you will, and when she sees how strong and smart you've become, she will be so proud. I know I am already." I looked up into her smiling face, and felt a warmth in my heart, different that my inner flame. I smiled as well, my sadness fading away, then drifted off to sleep again.

**And there you have it. Though we know what happened to him, he does not, and neither does Firedancer. Remember, she only knows what the Ninetales told her.**

**On a different note, I will be trying to update every week, but I'm juggling my other story as well, which requires a lot more research. So, don't be dismayed if it takes longer. I WILL update.**

**Please read and review, and may your Ember never fade!**


	6. Chapter 6 - Dragons and humans

**Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni here. Sorry about last week; been trying to find someone to review my work, and thus make it better quality. Anyway, if anyone wants to be a beta reader, let me know in a PM. That being said, here's the next chapter in Sol's journey.**

**Note: I do use the term 'bitch' in this chapter, but it's in the proper context; I do not intend to offend anyone with my writing.**

Many moons passed and the seasons changed. The cold season was the hardest on me, with my feeble flame and all, so I tended to stay in the cave all day and sleep. I continued to grow, watching my tail split once, then twice. My teeth grew in sharp fangs and canines like Nana's, only smaller. With those, I could no longer drink milk from her; she would bring part of her hunt back with her for me to eat. At first, I hesitated, unsure for some reason, but the scent of partially-seared meat soon overwhelmed me, and I dove in with ravenous hunger.

During the flowery and hot seasons, Nana would let me leave the cave and wander the woods nearby. I never strayed far from the entrance or Nana, my ears perked high and nose alert for danger. Then, one day during the flowery season after my third hatch-day (I think), I heard a great roaring coming from deep in the forest. I immediately ran to Nana, who stood with her hackles raised facing the noise. It steadily grew louder, until a huge blue dragon with red wings burst from the trees, bellowing its head off.

It spotted Nana and stopped roaring, landing hard before her with a snarl. It spat something out of its mouth, before saying, "Finally! A sign of life! Do you know how long I've been flying around here?" Nana didn't say anything, her lips pulled back in a snarl. Then, the dragon spotted me cowering behind Nana's paws, and stared. I whimpered and tried to hide in the shadow of her paw, but I was too big. "Well, what have we here? A young Vulpix, barely three tails old. Tell me, young one, are you by chance related to an old Ninetales I met a few years ago?"

I shook my head, and Nana said, "My friend found him barely hatched, three years ago, and brought him to me to raise; I gave him the name Sol. How do you know her?" The dragon laughed. "I fought that crazy bitch, alongside my trainer, about that long ago. She beat me handily, but my trainer disappeared. It took the better part of a year to break out of my Pokéball, and another to recover enough to look for him. Have any humans come around here?"

Nana growled at the mention of 'trainer', saying acidly, "No filthy two-legs would dare come near my den, so no, I haven't seen your 'trainer'. You had better hope he doesn't come here, because I would tear him to shreds!" I'd never seen Nana this angry before, and it was starting to scare me. She glared at the dragon and said, "Now. I suggest you leave, now. Trained Pokémon are no better than their owners, and I will show you no mercy or sympathy if you bring any two-legs after my pup!"

"All right, I'm going!" he replied. "No need to get your tail in a twist. I'll search elsewhere then." He bent down and grabbed what looked like a mangled black-and-yellow ball from the ground, and took off again, roaring loudly once more. As the dragon disappeared over the treetops, and the noise subsided, I slowly crawled out from behind Nana's paw. She still had a scary scowl on her face, causing me to whimper in fear again. _I hope she never gets that mad at me,_ I thought.

The little sound seemed to snap her out of her trance, for she stopped scowling and bent her head down to look at me, concern in her eyes. "Honey, are you okay?" she asked gently. I nodded carefully. "I'm sorry I scared you; it's just… whenever I run into that kind of Pokémon, it always makes my blood boil!"

"What… what Pokémon was it? And why were you mad at it?" I asked quietly. "That was a Salamence, a very powerful dragon-type Pokémon, and as for why I was mad… well, it was a trained Pokémon. You noticed the ball in its mouth? That was probably its Pokéball, the sign of enslavement all trained Pokémon bear. When certain two-legs, called trainers, throw those balls at you and catch you in them, you are forced to obey them without question."

"How can a huge Pokémon like that fit inside such a small ball?" I asked. "I don't know, sweetie," she replied. "All I know is being inside is uncomfortable, and life under a trainer is downright unbearable!" The scowl returned, like she ate something sour; this time, since I knew she wasn't mad at me, it wasn't as scary. "Sol, I want you to promise me something. If you EVER see a two-legs in the forest around here, come RIGHT back to the cave IMMEDIATELY. You are much too young to be caught by a trainer; the binding process could possibly kill you outright."

I nodded once, and she relaxed. "Now, how about we return to the cave, and I see about getting you some dinner, okay?" I yipped in delight and bounded back the way we came, Nana easily catching up to me with her much longer strides. Still, I wondered, _how did she know so much about these odd two-legs called trainers?_

**How indeed? Stay tuned; maybe he'll find out. By the way, that is Henry's Salamence.**

**Read, review, and may your Ember never fade!**


	7. Chapter 7 - Firedancer's Story

**Hey, everybody! Ta-Ni here, and bringing you the next chapter in Sol's new life. This week, we learn a little bit more about Firedancer.**

Shortly after the encounter with the Salamence, Nana started training me. I was now twice as large as I was when she first met me, and my inner flame was now strong enough to actually use in battle. It was only a small Ember attack, but it still was pretty cool. I also learned a few Normal attacks, like Tackle and Growl, and I surprised Nana with Faint Attack, which she said is an 'egg move', whatever that means.

Training quickly became routine, between meals and exploring the area around the den. Nana kept her eyes on me whenever she was around, but sometimes she had to leave to hunt for us; I wasn't quite big enough to hunt on my own. I mean, I could stalk Rattatas and Pichus, but they often evaded me.

Anyway, the seasons passed, and my seventh hatch-day drew near. One evening, during the cold season, I woke from a frightening dream where something large chased me and threw round objects at me. It reminded me of what Nana told me about the two-legs known as 'trainers'. As she calmed my trembling body with her tongue, my curiosity got the better of me, and I asked, "Nana? How do you know so much about trainers?"

She paused, shocked by my question, and I looked up to see her muzzle turned down in a frown. "Why do you ask, little one?" she asked. I shrugged and replied, "I'm curious, that's all." "You know the phrase, 'Curiosity killed the fox', right? It's dangerous to let your curiosity get the better of you," she teased. I hung my head in shame for a moment, before realizing she was joking. "However, in this case, I'll tell you. It will be a good learning experience," she said. I sat down, staring up at her in rapt attention. "The reason I know about trainers and trained Pokémon is… I used to be a trained Pokémon."

My jaw dropped; given how vehement she is about trainers and their Pokémon, I figured she had always been wild. "It's true, though I hate to admit it," she said. "However, I was taken from my family against my will, caught as a young pup by a two-legs barely old enough to own Pokémon. Still, I grew to like my trainer, since he promised he would never force me to evolve against my will, and treated me quite well."

"However, things began to change as he grew up. He started collecting badges, and training his other Pokémon and me harder and harder. His attitude grew cold and even cruel. Still, I stayed by his side, because my species are very loyal to our humans. I endured every kick and harsh word, praying my trainer of old would return."

"Then, the unthinkable happened. He called me from my Pokéball, and said, 'You can't get any stronger as a Growlithe, so I got you a Fire Stone to evolve.' I backed away, shaking my head; I didn't want to evolve. But he ignored me; he grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and pressed the Fire Stone to my fur. As I felt my body changing, great power surged within me; my Ember growing much larger than before."

"However, a single thought kept circling in my head: _He broke his promise. He swore he wouldn't evolve me without my permission. He broke his word._ That was the final straw; on top of all the abuse I had endured up to that point, this was the worst. Intense anger surged along with my power, and a deep growl rumbled in my throat. As he raised my ball to recall me, blue-white flame sparked in my mouth, causing him to hesitate, and that's all the chance I needed."

Nana looked down, a pained look in her eyes. "I burned him, Sol," she said in a tight voice. "No, I incinerated him. My fire was so hot, he was ashes in mere minutes. My Pokéball melted in his hand, along with all the others on his belt. I sometimes wonder what the others felt as they died within their Pokéballs; were they in pain, or blissfully unaware?" She shook her head. "Regardless, he was dead, and I was free. As I looked at the remains of my Pokéball, I swore I would NEVER be captured again, nor let those I love be caught."

She turned to me, a strong look in her eyes. "I was chased by the two-legs authorities, since they deemed me a 'threat to society', but I avoided them. Along the way, I met the Ninetales who found you, who helped me escape and return to the wild. In turn, I promised that if she ever needed anything, I would help her out. And that's why she came to me first when she found you. Which, by the way, was the best thing that's ever happened to me."

As she finished, I took in everything she told me, marveling at how much she went through. She was unevolved, like me, and yet was treated so poorly. I vowed to myself I wouldn't let myself be caught, if I could help it, and if I was I would try my hardest to escape. Standing up, I snuggled up to Nana and said, "I'm sorry to bring back such bad memories." She gave me a sad smile and replied, "No, you might as well know; otherwise, you'll never learn. Now, it's late, so let's go back to sleep." I nodded, yawning, and we settled back down to sleep.

**And there you have it: the reason Firedancer knows of trainers, and loathes them at the same time. Anyway, will Sol follow in his Nana's footsteps, hating all mankind; or will fate have other things in store? Stay tuned for next week!**

**Read, review, and may your Ember never fade.**


	8. Chapter 8 - Hunting Lessons

**Hey, everybody! Ta-Ni here. Just to let everyone know, I'm updating this story and Breaking a Heart of Gold on an alternating basis; hence why no upload of this story last week. Anyway, here's the next chapter of Sol's life story!**

The flowery season soon came again, banishing the cold from the area. I had gone through another growth spurt, and now bore five tails, with one just starting to split into the sixth. My Ember attack was getting stronger, and I learned a dashing attack that Nana called Quick Attack. I noticed she had a thoughtful look on her face as she watched me train.

Then, one day over lunch, Nana said, "Sol, I think you are old enough and strong enough to begin your next lesson: how to hunt for yourself. So, from this moment on, you will be stalking for your own dinner; if you don't catch anything, you will go hungry for the night."

I whined a little at that; it seemed a little harsh for a first lesson. "But, Nana…" I whined again, trying to guilt her out of it, but she stood her ground. "When I was your age, my mother told me the same thing I'm telling you, and I whined as well. However, I survived, and I know you will too. Besides, I won't be around forever; you will need to learn one way or another, and I'd rather it be the former rather than the latter."

She smiled, though. "However, I promise I won't let you starve; it's only dinner you must hunt on your own. Come morning, you can have breakfast like normal. Eventually, you'll have to do ALL your hunting, but for now, it's just dinner." I breathed a sigh of relief at that, but I was still nervous. I mean, I've caught plenty of Rattatas, and the occasionally Pichu, but those won't fill a growing Vulpix's tummy; I needed to hunt bigger prey.

Anyway, she dismissed me to 'play', so I headed out of the cave and into the forest. She knew I was hoping to scope out my kill for tonight, and so let me out of her sight for now. Besides, I could handle myself, right?

After about a couple hours of searching, I found a good Pokémon to stalk for dinner: a lone buneary, young and plump. I circled around to get downwind, and then stealthily snuck through the brush toward it. A couple of times, I had to stop because it looked up, as if it sensed me coming; it didn't run away though. _For my first solo hunt, this is going pretty well_, I thought, getting cocky.

That's when a twig snapped under my forepaw, causing the buneary's ears to twitch toward my direction. "Bunn!" it said, turning to run. I panicked and pounced, trying to catch it off guard, but it dodged out of the way, bringing one ear down on my side and knocking me away. I thought it would continue to run, but instead it stood its ground to fight.

I started it off with a quick Ember, which it dodged easily with a Bounce before coming down on my back. I managed to roll out from under it, and then knocked it away with a Tackle. It retaliated by jabbing me with its right ear in a Dizzy Punch; my vision went out of focus for a moment because of the strike. Thus, I couldn't dodge as it charged a ball of bluish-white ball in front of it, which launched in a beam at me.

The beam pierced right through my side, sending stabbing cold throughout my body. My muscles seized up as they froze solid, making it harder to breathe. My vision grew foggy as ice formed in a thin layer over my body; the buneary had already stopped firing, but the cold kept spreading. My inner flame flickered dangerously; I couldn't harness its power to free myself. I was stuck, frozen solid, and who knows how far away from the den; face it, I'm a goner. I watched my future prey hop off without a word, and prayed that Nana would find me before it's too late.

An hour passes, then two. I watched the sun set behind the trees through the layer of ice; all my strength and concentration is trying to keep my flame burning, but it's steadily shrinking as time passes. I'm running out of time; if Nana doesn't find me soon, she's going to have a pup-sicle instead of a son. Then, I heard it; a faint, calling bark reached my frozen ears. The timbre seemed familiar, and as it got closer, I knew it was Nana!

As the barks got closer, my vision began to fade; I tried to cry out, but my throat was frozen shut. Then, I saw her: Nana, bounding toward me. She quickly rushed over, taking in the situation in an instant, and took a deep breath. Sparks flickered in her throat as she unleashed a huge blast of fire, engulfing my frozen form. My fur drank in the heat as the layer of ice melted and evaporated quickly, and my inner flame burst back to life. I collapsed, shivering violently, as the flames died down and Nana curled around me to finish warming me up.

As my shivering calmed down, Nana asked me, "What happened, honey? Did a trainer do this to you?" I shook my head through my trembles, stuttering, "N-no. The b-buneary I w-was h-hunting f-froze me, and then r-ran off. I-I'm sorry, N-nana." She gave me a lick between the ears in consolation. "It's all right. It was your first time, after all. I should have taught you more about dodging attacks. How about we go back to the den and warm up?"

"B…but what about dinner?" I asked. "I failed to catch anything, so I have to go hungry." She smiled. "Don't worry; I have plenty for tonight. You get a pass this one time because you weren't prepared; I didn't expect you to take it so seriously from the start." She got up, so I did too, and we walked back to the den.

The next morning, she taught me how to dodge incoming attacks, as well as what attacks various prey Pokémon could have and how to avoid them. We took a couple of days before I tried hunting on my own again, and this time I managed to take down a pachurisu that happened to come down from its tree by myself. I carried the Pokémon back to the den with a spring in my step, and Nana praised me as well!

I kept up my progress as the moons passed, and soon was handling most prey with ease, including the annoying buneary! Half the time, I managed to strike first and avoid a fight all together. Through it all, Nana watched as I grew and learned, a warm smile on her muzzle. She was proud of me, and I was proud to be her son. Unfortunately, neither of us knew how soon our happy times would be cut short.

**Learning the ropes, Pokemon style! Don't judge Firedancer too harshly; there are animals in the real world that do the same thing to their young. Anyway, we'll find out in a couple of weeks what Sol meant in the end!**

**Read, review, and may your Ember never fade.**


	9. Chapter 9 - The Parting

**Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni Kitsune here, bringing you another chapter in Vulpix TF. This is a very important point in his life, as well as being an emotional one, so if you feel the need to cry, don't worry. I almost did writing it, and I rarely cry. Anyway, here it is.**

I will never forget that day, no matter how old I become. It was the flowery season, a few moons after my tenth hatch-day. Nana was showing me how to stalk large prey, for after I evolve; her target was a young stantler, grazing upwind of us and completely unaware of either of us.

Suddenly, the young buck looked up, startled by something; Nana froze in the brush just in case she spooked him, but the buck was looking away from both of us. A small, blue creature darted from the bushes and landed in front of the stantler, resolving into a little penguin. Then, a taller figure appeared behind it, standing on two legs and wearing odd skins over its body.

From cover, I heard Nana growl in a low tone, her eyes fixed on the two legs; curious, I prodded her paw a few times to get her attention. "Nana?" I asked quietly. "What's wrong?"

Her voice equally low, she replied, "That, little one, is a human. Even worse, he's a trainer; the piplup in front of him is his Pokémon." I looked at the human, who was yelling something at the piplup, which caused it to charge into the stantler. However, the buck dodged the attack and ran away, ruining our hunt!

"Darn, it ran away!" the trainer said. Nana tried to back away, motioning me to hide in the bushes, but her big paws snapped a twig, causing the human to turn around and notice her. "Oh, wow! An arcanine! Those Pokémon are extremely rare. Come on, Piplup! Let's catch it!"

Checking with a glance that I was safe, Nana stepped forward and got into a fighting pose. I was nervous: this was the first time I've seen Nana fight another Pokémon! The piplup darted forward, its beak glowing with power. Nana dodged it with ease, swiping a paw with claws outstretched at the passing Pokémon, leaving a few scratches on the penguin's body.

"Bubble!" the kid shouted, and the piplup's eyes went out of focus for a moment. A stream of bubbles shot from its beak, pelting Nana in the side; she flinched from the water-type attack, but stood firm since it was a weak attack anyway. The kid ordered the attack again, but this time the bubbles came out much faster, forming a literal beam of bubbles. This attack hit much harder, prompting Nana to dodge most of it instead of just taking it.

She growled, and then dashed forward, faster than the eye could see. The Extremespeed hit the piplup incredibly hard, knocking it across the clearing and falling unconscious instantly. The kid panicked and pointed a red-and-white ball at the fallen Pokémon, turning it into red light and drawing it inside. He then ran back the way he came.

As soon as the trainer's footsteps had faded into the distance, Nana collapsed in a heap, panting and whining slightly. I rushed out of the bushes and nuzzled into her, asking, "Nana, are you all right?" She gave me a faint smile and replied, "Just a little tired and sore; nothing to worry about. Still, where there is one trainer, there may be more. Sol, do you think you can find a couple of Oran berries for me?"

I nodded and ran off, eager to help Nana, and yet keeping an eye out for more trainers. The last thing I wanted was to get caught up in a battle on my own; I have never fought another Pokémon one-on-one. I soon found an Oran berry bush a few longstrides away, with several ripe berries on it. I grabbed a couple in my mouth, being careful not to bite down too hard and break the skin, and then crawled out of the bush.

However, as I turned around, a human trainer stepped from the trees. I froze, hoping he didn't spot me, but he looked right at me and gave me a cold smile. "Hm… a vulpix. Not something you see in the wild these days. Full-grown as well; interesting." He pulled out an odd red book and pointed it at me. It made a few noises that I didn't understand, but the guy smiled more. "A little on the weak side, but nothing evolution cannot fix. Manetric, you know what to do."

He unclipped a ball from his belt, tossing it lazily in front of him. A large blue and yellow dog materialized from it, not quite as big as Nana, but still twice as large as me. It growled at me, and then fired a very small beam of electricity at me; I tried to dodge, but got tripped up by the bush's roots behind me. The bolt didn't hurt, but it made my muscles lock up, causing me to stumble again. I barely got up when the manetric rammed into me and knocked me down again.

I got to my knees, breathing hard, and looked up to see the trainer pulling a red-and-white ball from his pack. He started to pull his arm back to throw when a piercing howl shattered the air, and a huge orange-and-white blur slammed into the manetric, eliciting a pained yelp. Standing before me was Nana, blocking me from the manetric's view, but I could still see the trainer staring with slight shock on his face.

"An arcanine, huh? He commented. "Now that's a nice surprise; much better than a vulpix, since I don't have to waste a fire stone. Manetric, ignore the small fry; target the arcanine with your Thunderbolt!" A lone bolt of lightning slammed into Nana, leaving small bolts dancing among her fur, but she stood her ground between the trainer and me.

"Sol…run…" I heard Nana say between pants of pain and the paralysis. I hesitated, not wanting to leave her, and she whirled on me and growled, "RUN!" Fear forced my numb limbs into motion, driving me into the bushes, but I didn't go far. I knew where a Cheri berry bush was nearby, to cure my paralysis, but then I knew I was coming back; Nana needed me!

Wolfing down one berry, and grabbing another for Nana, I rushed back against her orders. However, I was too late; I arrived in time to see the trainer throw a ball similar to the one that salamence carried at Nana, and she disappeared into red light. The ball wobbled once, and then clicked shut; I watched in horror as he calmly picked up the ball and began to walk away.

_No…NO…_ "NO!" I screamed, dropping the berry in my mouth and running forward, my fangs bore in rage. I latched my teeth onto the trainer's leg, causing him to cry out in surprise and a little pain. He kicked out, which shook me off and tearing his pant leg in the process; I leapt to my feet to pounce again, but the manetric landed on me pinned me to the ground, belly first. "Stay down," he whispered in my ear with a growl, making me tense and struggle. "Unless you really want me to kill you…" I quickly changed my mind and stopped struggling.

Helpless, I watched the human walk up to me, waiting for him to catch me in another ball; _at least I'll be with Nana,_ I thought dejectedly. However, he didn't catch me; instead, he said, "You're not worth the effort, you know; the arcanine is a much better catch. Still, you've got a lot of spirit." He reached into his pack and pulled something else, placing it a couple pawslengths away but just out of sight. "Tell you what," he said. "Use this and get stronger. Then maybe, we can have a real battle."

The trainer recalled the manetric off of me and walked away into the trees, but I didn't bother getting up. I lay there, slowly realizing I was now all alone. No more cuddling together at night, no more sharing meals, no…more…Nana… Tears sprang to my eyes and I released a mournful howl, ignoring the possible threat of other trainers; I didn't care. Combined with my injuries, I collapsed and cried myself to sleep.

**Just for your information, longstrides and pawslengths are based off the Pokemon in question. For Sol, he was referring to Firedancer, so a longstride for her is about 20 yards, and a pawslength is a foot and a half.**

**As for what happens next, you'll have to wait for the next chapter. I will say this, it will quote a famous video game from a series other than Pokemon.**

**Also, for those of you following my other story, Breaking a Heart of Gold, I did miss last week's upload, but that's because I'm trying to jumpstart my memory by playing along in the game. I will have a chapter up next week, so stay tuned!**

**Please read and review, and may your Ember (or whatever you have) never fade.**


	10. Chapter 10 - Evolution and a new journey

**Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni here, with a very important chapter of Vulpix TF. When we last left poor Sol, he was not in a good situation. Let's see what comes out of that, shall we?**

I slowly woke up, only to find the sun beginning to rise above the treeline; I had slept the night away, in the middle of the forest. Everything in my body hurt, but I think my injuries were healed; I was just really stiff. As I slowly crawled to my feet, I noticed an orange object just on the edge of my vision, sitting in the grass. I looked over, and then stopped to stare. Sitting on the grass, just out of reach, was a crystal which glowed with an inner flame, literally; I could see the flame dancing within its many edges.

_I-is this what Nana described to me as a Fire Stone?_ I thought with wonder. _Nana said I could evolve with one of these, but to find one in the wild is next to impossible. How…?_ Then, I remembered the trainer, the one who took Nana from me. _He said he wanted to fight me for real; to become stronger. Is that why he left me this Fire Stone? Should I use it? How does it work?_

Curious, I crept forward as fast as my body would let me and touched it with my nose. Nothing happened, but I could feel warmth radiating from it. Still uncertain if this was the right thing to do, I hesitated a moment longer. Then, I remembered where I was, and made up my mind. I reached forward and placed my paw upon the stone, causing a brilliant flash to blind me.

Immense power welled up inside of me as I drew the flame from the stone into my body, which glowed with a bright, white light. I could feel myself changing, growing larger and taller, but nothing compared to my inner flame, my Ember; it swelled to at least five times its original size, threatening to burn me from the inside out, and yet I knew I could control it. My six tails uncurled and lengthened, and three more grew out alongside them. Finally, a new, hidden power unlocked deep in my mind, and I realized I could now use the power of foxfire to make illusions. I had become a Ninetales.

As the light faded, I settled back into my new body, and my Ember became more manageable. Panting slightly from the effort of the evolution, I noticed all my stiffness had faded as well; I was back at full strength. _ Wow, I'm really a ninetales, aren't I? Wait until I show Nana-_ My thoughts cut off as I remembered she wasn't around anymore, the grief threatening to come back and overwhelm me. I shook it off for the moment; I needed to get somewhere safe first. Lifting my nose into the air, I tracked my old scent back to the berry bush I found, and from there back to the cave.

Even though the cave was relatively safe, it was also suffuse with Nana's and my scent, bringing back old memories, and this time the grief was too much. I lay down in her old sleeping spot and began crying again. Even though I was technically 'grown up', I still had my childish tendencies. Then, suddenly…

_You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?_

The psychic voice jolted me from my grief, and I rose to my feet, stepping from the cave entrance and looking for the source. Standing in the bushes not far away was a xatu, with one wing outstretched. Something about him made me nervous, my hackles rising. I turned to him and growled, in case he wanted a fight.

The xatu blinked once, saying, _I do not wish to fight. I only came because your fate seemed… interesting._

I could sense no hostility in his mental voice, so I settled down, tilting my head in confusion. "What do you mean? Can't you leave me in my grief? I just lost the one Pokémon who cared for me; of course it's terrible."

The xatu shifted its wings and said, _I do not mean the loss of your caretaker when I mentioned 'a terrible fate'. I speak of your current form; what you were before, and what you could be again._

Really confused, I replied, "I doubt it's possible to be a vulpix again; evolution is permanent."

The xatu closed its eyes for a moment and mentally sighed. _It appears she has buried those memories too deep for you to recall. I speak of your life before you were 'born', and how you came to be in your current form._

Tired of riddles, I barked, "Just tell me, if you're so smart! I'm not in the mood for riddles and games."

_I cannot tell you directly,_ the xatu replied. _You must ask her yourself. The one you must seek lives far away, many a moon's journey from this forest, at the base of the mountain range in the far north. She is a ninetales, like yourself, but much older than you; in fact, she is nearing the end of her days, and if you do not hurry, any chance of learning your past will be lost._

At his words, a faint memory began to float up in my mind: a voice saying to seek it out, to 'see how much you have grown'. I shook my head to clear the thought from my mind, about to say something to the xatu, but he had vanished as quickly as he had appeared. _What does he mean, 'my life before I was born'?_ I thought. _No one can be alive before they are born, unless he meant my previous incarnation. As for the ninetales he mentioned, maybe that's Nana's friend, the one who found me right after I hatched. She could tell me who my real parents are, if she knows._

With these questions in my head, I finally had a purpose, a direction to go. I know Nana wouldn't want me wallowing in my grief over her, especially since I had evolved, and maybe that ninetales would have some answers. I picked myself up from the ground, gave myself a quick fire bath to make myself more presentable, and set out for the distant mountains. I looked back only once, to savor the memories I had of that place, as if knowing I would never return.

**And there you have it. We have reached a turning point in his life, and from this point on, everything will be new.**

**By the way, did you spot the reference? Let me know in your reviews if you did.**

**Lastly, I have started a forum topic on this site called Eon Village, where we RP as Eevees and Eeveelutions in our own isolated society; I would love to see some of you join us.**

**As always, read and review. And may your Ember (or whatever elemental core you have) never fade.**


	11. Author's Break

**Hey, everybody. Ta-Ni here!**

**I bet you're wondering why I haven't been uploading any of my stories recently. Well... I've been a little... busy... lately. You see, Flame has been very... insistent about something, and since it's the right season... I really haven't had much of a choice in the matter.**

**So, until we're all done, I'm sort of stuck in my ninetales form, and it's really hard to type with paws. Hell, even this note is taking several tries to write, and I'm trying to do so behind her back at the moment...**

**Flame: Honey, what are you doing? They're asking for you!**

**Oh, shoot! Got to go! I promise once they move on, I'll be back to uploading my stories. Take care, everyone, and may your Ember never fade!**


	12. Chapter 11 - Night Dangers, Day Musings

**Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni here. Sorry for the long wait; just try to imagine raising young ones at my age. Anyway, now that they've given me a bit of a break, I can resume uploading. Enjoy!**

As darkness fell after leaving the den, I realized just how dangerous the world outside could be. I've never been outside after dark; Nana always called me back in before the sun went down. True, I could see the night through the cave entrance, and hear all the nocturnal creatures and Pokémon talking to one another. But always from the safety of the cave, never outside. The thought of spending my first night away from home scared me a little.

I keep jumping at every rustle in the brush, expecting some large predator to leap at me and snatch me up for dinner. Then, I remember I'm evolved and much larger than I was before, so few predators would mess with me. Still, the fear lingers, setting my nerves on edge. Even the hoots of Noctowls startle me, so much so that I cannot sleep never well.

The next morning, I woke unrefreshed, but determined to keep going. After a quick breakfast of a couple of Pachurisu, I continue walking toward the distant mountains. The forest is much larger than I thought, since I couldn't go much farther from the den than a day's walk; it seemed to stretch on forever. I spent another couple sleepless nights under the trees before I noticed a change in the scenery. The tree seemed to get thinner, more spaced apart. Sunlight began peaking through the canopy of leaves above me.

Finally, by the seventh sunrise since I started my journey, I reached what appeared to be the edge of the forest. The trees just stopped, and a large. Grassy area lay out before me. However, there were also dirt paths weaving among the grass, well-trodden and dusty. I hung back for a few minutes, afraid of how open and exposed it was, but it stood between me and my goal, so I had to risk it.

Then, as I took my first step from the trees, a familiar sight appeared: a tall figure with a red cap and backpack. _A trainer,_ I realized with dismay, jumping back into the shelter of the trees. _That's why the dirt parts are so well used; it's a road for trainers!_ Suddenly, the grassland seemed even scarier than before. I couldn't risk getting caught by a trainer, not if I wanted to reach the mountain.

Cautious, I decided to wait until nightfall, in hopes that the darkness would hide me from them. Sure enough, the area seemed devoid of them after the sun went down. As I snuck through the tall grass, darting across the dirt paths from grass clump to grass clump, a bizarre thought occurred to me. _Nana always taught me to not trust humans, but what if I could talk to one of them? If I explain my mission, maybe they could help me._

Something inside told me it wouldn't work; that humans can't understand us. How I knew that, I don't know; the reason just popped into my head. Still, I might be able to use an illusion to try and communicate with them. The question was: could I trust them to help me? My mind turned to the trainer who caught Nana: his cold and callous demeanor toward us and his own Pokémon. Surely someone like that would never help a wild Pokémon.

Then, there was the young trainer before that. He seemed innocent, but that could be because of his age; he hadn't grown into someone like the other one yet. Also, he still seemed more eager to catch rather than understand. _Maybe Nana was right; maybe all humans are cruel and uncaring._ As I finished crossing the grassland and re-entered the trees, I reaffirmed my resolve not to deal with humans, and walked away.

**And there you have it. I know, it's not much in the way of progress, but I was pressed for time. Speak of, I can hear Flame calling for me; guess it's my turn to watch the kits. Don't forget to check out my forum topic, Eon Village. We need more members!**

**Take care to read and review, and may your Ember never fade!**


	13. Chapter 12 - Encounter in the Dark

**Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni here, back after a LONG time away. I apologize first and foremost; I;ve been stuck on this story for quite a while, but I think I'm making some progress now. So, here you go!**

For a few days, I travelled this way: hiding in the tall grass during the day, drawing strength from the sun's warmth, and then dodging campsites and trainers during the night. I feel I was making good progress; the mountain seemed to grow larger every morning. I remained cautious, though; I knew it was still a long way off, and anything can happen.

Then, one night, my luck ran out. I came across a patch of woods that seemed deserted; no campfires or tents were anywhere in sight. Instead of being wary of the lack of trainers, I relaxed my guard. _Finally,_ I thought. _A brief respite from dodging humans._ I walked calmly from the tall grass and into the shadows of the trees.

I barely left the edge when a sharp bark brought me up short, followed by a gruff voice from the darkness. "Halt, intruder. You have trespassed on pack land. Leave now, or face the consequences!" I thought about turning around, but since I was newly-evolved and eager to test my strength, my emotions were still skewed. Instead, I purposefully stepped forward.

The voice called out again, "You have ignored our warning; now you reap the penalty!" A large black dog with horns materialized from the shadows, flanked by two other similar dogs and several smaller ones behind him, probably pups. _Great,_ I thought. _Houndoom and houndour, both fire and dark types. Wait, how did I know that?_ Seeing myself severely outnumbered and facing other fire-types, my bravado failed and I took a step back. "A-a-actually, I'm only passing through; I don't mean to trespass…"

"SILENCE!" the lead houndoom roared. "Ignorance is no excuse; we have held these lands for many years, and all the Pokémon and humans know not to tread here. For any not of the pack or of another species, to set paw on our land is punishable by death!" With that, he charged forward, teeth charged with dark energy.

I quickly dodged out of the way, all my battling practice with Nana paying off. Taking a chance, I charged fire energy in my mouth, and unleashed it at the houndoom. Luckily, it appeared he had a different ability from me, as the he yelped in pain as the fire scorched his fur. He glared balefully at me in return, and my muscles locked up in fear, leaving me paralyzed. I could do nothing as he turned his whip-like tail to metal and lashed it across my face.

I reeled back, barely muffling my whimper of pain, and licked the blood from my muzzle. Growling, I charged at him and swung my tails at him, using the same move he used before. However, he jumped out of the way, and my iron-laden tails thudded into the forest floor, stunning me for a moment. That's all he needed to slash across my side with his paw. Shadowy claws dug into my flank, leaving three long gashes bleeding into my fur. He struck again on my other side, mirroring the first strike.

The pain was too intense, and I had to whimper aloud, causing him to chuckle in delight. "You were foolish to come here, and foolish to resist us. Now, die like the pathetic dog you really are!" A large ball of shadowy energy formed in front of him, and I just stood there, closing my eyes as I awaited my death.

"Sylveon, Moonblast!" My eyes snapped open at the familiar voice.

Out of nowhere, a large ball of pink energy cannoned into the houndoom, knocking him sideways and causing the shadow ball to shoot just over my head. From the bushes, an odd creature jumped in front of me: it looked a white dog, but with pink and blue ribbons trailing from it. Closely behind it, a young human walked out and pointed at the stunned houndoom. "Again!" he called, and the creature charged another pink ball and shot it at the houndoom.

The second shot sent the houndoom flying into the nearest tree, knocking him unconscious instantly. The other houndooms and houndours turned to the other creature and charged forward, but it waved its ribbons at them and a pink-sparkly wind blew them into the bushes. "There, that's them taken care of," the creature said, revealing it to be a female. _Is this the…Syl-veon?...that the human spoke of?_ I thought. "How rude of them, to attack someone en mass."

I collapsed on the ground, my injuries starting to take their toll; my vision began fading in and out. My sides ached, and my golden fur was streaked and stained with my blood. She turned and barked something to the human, and I saw him pull out a ball. I growled loudly, startling him before he could throw it; I was NOT getting caught! The Sylveon looked at me in surprise and said, "Why are you being so rude to my master? He's only trying to help you."

"Humans…evil…don't trust…" I managed to say, barely able to stay awake; everything was starting to blur together. She turned back to her trainer and barked something I couldn't understand, and he put the fuzzy ball away. He pulled out a different blur, one that was all white, and tossed it in my direction. However, before it hit me, I blacked out.

**And there you go! What's gonna happen to Sol now? Find out next time!**

**And a reminder to everyone, I'm still taking new characters on my forum group, Eon Village, so please check it out!**

**Read, review, and may your Ember never fade.**


	14. Chapter 13 - A new ally?

**Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni here. Sorry about the infrequent uploads; I think one of my Porygon may be infected with a virus. I may need to visit Bill for a check-up soon, which will mean another trip to Kanto, and an extended absence. So, here's the next chapter for you guys!**

**italics = thoughts, "italics" = Pokespeech**

As I slowly came to, my senses were overwhelmed by all new smells and sounds. Gone was the earthen scent of the soil and trees of the forest, replaced by chemical-like scents completely foreign to me. A rhythmic beeping noise broke the silence around me, slowly increasing as my fear mounted. _Where am I?_ I thought, trying to open my eyes. However, the searing white light was too much to bear for more than a moment. I tried to stand, but something or someone grabbed me around the waist and held me down.

A gentle, female voice spoke up in my ear, saying, "don't try to move, dear. Otherwise, you'll open your wounds again." The force on my back eased, so I turned my head toward the voice and tried opening my eyes again. This time, the light was more bearable, so I could make out the source of the voice. A tall female human with bright pink hair and a white coat with a red cross on it stood over me, her arms wrapped around my body and holding me to what appeared to be a table or bed.

I started to panic and tried to roll away from her, but her grip remained firmly around me. "Whoa," she cried, struggling against me. "Calm down, Ninetales. I'm not gonna hurt you. You can trust me." _Trust a human…never!_ I thought. I struggle a little longer, but my energy quickly ran out, forcing me to stop. "There," she said in relief. "You need to stay still for a while longer, until your wounds heal completely. Now, you behave yourself, and I'll go get the young man who brought you in."

She let go of me and turned away, and so didn't see me bristle at the thought of ANOTHER human. I lifted my head slightly to look around. I was in a large white den (room) with the only entrance/exit blocked by a large wooden object (door). There was another, smaller opening, but it was covered by a clear sort of substance that let the sunlight in (window). Long white strips covered most of my body (bandages), restricting what movement I had, and the only other object in the den was the table or bed I was laying on. "_Where am I?_" I asked myself, this time aloud.

"_This is the Pokémon Center, silly,_" a familiar voice answered me, and I looked to see the sylveon from earlier walk into the den, through the wooden barrier. Her trainer walked in behind her, followed by the lady from earlier. "_Nurse Joy helped patch you up after that terrible fight yesterday. We were lucky to get you here in time; a few more minutes, and you would have been dead._"

Slowly, my memory of what happened returned, and a menacing growl rumbled in my throat. "_So, I guess I'm forced to be your fighting slave now, aren't i?_" I growled at the trainer, causing him to take a step back. The sylveon, sensing danger, jumped in front of him and said, "_How inconsiderate can you get? He saved your life, and now you're threatening him? And what do you mean, 'slave'?_"

"_I saw him throw that ball before I fainted!_" I barked. "_Which means he caught me, AGAINST MY WILL I might add, and now's he will force me to fight for him. It's what all his kind do; that's what Nana told me!_"

"_That was a Medic Ball, a special ball used for Pokémon transportation ONLY!_" she replied. "_You're still wild, if you want to be. As for forcing you to fight, my trainer would never do that; I follow him because he cares about me. After all, I only evolved into my current form BECAUSE I care for him. tell me, who was your Nana, to be so prejudice against trainers?_"

I hesitated, but said, "_Nana used to be trained, but she was mistreated and forced to evolve, so she…escaped…back to the wild. Now, she's been taken again, by another abusive trainer, and I want to find a way to free her._" I couldn't admit that she killed her previous owner, just in case he decided she should be put down as a dangerous Pokémon.

"_Was she a ninetales, like you?_" she asked. "_And where are your parents? I can tell by your speech that you are still young, even though you've evolved._"

"_Nana was an…arcanine, I think. At least, that's what the trainer who toke her called her. As for my Meema, I never had one, at least that I remember. The first Pokémon I saw when I opened my eyes was Nana._" These thoughts brought tears to my eyes, but I tried to act strong in front of them. Still, she leapt up onto the bed and put her ribbons around me, like she was trying to hug me. After she let go, I decided to take a risk. "_I don't know where I am, but I was trying to reach the mountains before I was attacked. I have to get there as soon as possible; someone there holds answers that I seek._"

Before she could reply, the trainer finally spoke up. "I wish I knew what you two were talking about, but visiting hours are over for today. I hope you feel better tomorrow, Ninetales. Come on, Sylveon." He walked over to the wooden barrier and opened it, gesturing for her to follow. She gave me one last look, then followed her trainer out of the den.

The woman (which she called Nurse Joy?) messed a little with the wrappings, but I paid her no mind. _Why did I tell her so much?_ I thought. _She's in league with her human, so why do I trust her so? Maybe…maybe she's right. Could he be trusted, and if so, how can I test him?_ While I was lost in thought, the nurse poked me with something and I began to feel extremely drowsy. As I fell asleep, an idea occurred to me, and I thought, _It's worth a try._

**And there you have it. Sol is safe, but what does he have planned for the trainer? Find out soon, hopefully.**

**Read, review, and may your Ember never fade!**


	15. Chapter 14 - Illusions to Trust

**Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni here. Since I will be offline while my Porygon are getting their check-ups, I decided to give you a bonus chapter! Enjoy!**

I'm not sure how long I slept, but when I next woke up, both the sylveon and her trainer were watching over me. He took a step forward, but stopped at my unconscious growl. I slowly sat up, feeling much better than before, but my muscles were stiff and sore from lack of use. _I wonder how long they're gonna keep me here,_ I thought.

"Nurse Joy said it was okay to move a little," the trainer said. "But, you won't be allowed to leave for another couple of days, and only if you don't overdo it." _Thanks for the information,_ I thought, nodding to show I understood him. Though I still didn't trust him, I wouldn't begrudge him what I properly owe him.

"_So you do have some manners,_" the sylveon commented, causing me to growl at her. "_Of course I do! I may be wild, but I'm still civilized!_" We glared at one another for a few moments, before her trainer sighed and said, "Once again, you're fighting, and I have no idea why."

This reminded me of my idea from before. Reaching deep inside, I found my link to my ninetales ancestors, and drew upon their knowledge of my new abilities. I closed my eyes and concentrated; behind me, I could feel a slight warmth gathering on the tips of my tails, which was probably my foxfire. A mass of foxfire formed before me in my mind's eye, eagerly waiting to be formed into some shape.

Suddenly, an image of a young male seemed to hover in my thoughts, calling to me. it looked similar to the sylveon's trainer, and yet different. For some reason, even though I've never seen this person before, he seemed very familiar, like I knew him from long ago. Figuring it to be of some importance, I impressed his form onto the foxfire mass before me, binding it to the flames, and then opened my eyes.

Sure enough, the boy now stood before me, in front of the sylveon and her trainer, who were both wide-eyed in shock. Save for a slight transparency to the figure, it was very life-like; not bad for my first try. I channeled my thoughts into the illusionary figure, which translated it into human speech as, "Don't worry, you aren't seeing things. I just wanted to talk more…openly."

"H-how are you doing this?!" the trainer exclaimed. I chuckled behind the illusion and replied, "All ninetales have the ability to conjure illusions, through the use of their foxfire. They aren't as effective as those of the Zoroark line, but it works well enough." Then, I hesitated, thinking, _How did I know that? I've only been a ninetales less than a moon; is it all ancestral knowledge?_

The sylveon put a paw through the illusion's leg, making it waver slightly, but made no comment. Still, she gave me a look that seemed both suspicious and impressed; did she suspect how much I knew as well? To forego any questions, I decided to start first. "So, to start things off, why don't we introduce ourselves properly? My name is Sol; what are yours?"

They looked at one another, and then the trainer replied, "Uh…my name is Kevin, and this is Sylveon, or Syl for short." She looked a little miffed at his introduction of her. I jumped in and said in a snide voice, "So, you simply call her by her species name, and even shorten it as a form of 'caring'. Well, let's ask her directly. Please tell me the name your Meema gave you, and I'll translate for you."

She looked at me cautiously, saying, "_You won't twist whatever I say for your own gain, will you?_" I replied in the same language, "_You have my word as a ninetales: anything you want me to share, I will do so with no bias either way._" She nodded in relief, and said, "_My given name was Eve, because I I loved the night. However, because I cared for Kevin as more than just a trainer, instead of becoming an Umbreon, I evolved into a Sylveon. Kevin decided to call me Syl because afterward, and I simply chose not to dispute it for the sake of convenience._"

I dutifully translated for her, leaving nothing out, and Kevin looked at in surprise. "You didn't have to do that for me; I had no idea it caused you such displeasure. If you had said something…" I interrupted him there, stating, "And therein lies the problem. Because you don't understand us, we cannot speak for ourselves in protest of our enslavement."

"_But he hasn't 'enslaved' me!_" she denied. "_In fact, he raised me from the egg, as his parents owned my parents. He only caught me as a precaution against theft; he doesn't even use my ball except for emergencies._" "Then why does he carry them around in the first place?" I retorted, forgetting to switch back to Pokespeech. "He was going to catch ME, in the forest, remember? If he doesn't 'enslave' us, why did he reach for them back then?"

"Because you were hurt!" Kevin bit back. "I can't just leave an injured Pokémon alone, especially in the state you were in. By all rights, I saved your life: why can't you just be grateful?" "Because I don't trust you humans!" I yelled. "You always have some sort of ulterior motive. A human trainer like yourself STOLE my Nana from me as a kit, forcing me to grow up and search for her, and now you're keeping me here while she gets farther away!" Tears began to fall from my eyes, both in the illusion and in real life, and my anger was causing the figure to blur and distort.

Eve stepped between us, and her two ribbons snaked around Kevin's arm and my forepaw. A calming sensation rippled through me from her touch, and I saw Kevin relax as well. When both our tempers calmed down, Eve said to me, "_He is not trying to keep you here; we want to help if we can. Arguing won't get us anywhere; if anything, it may slow down your recovery. Now, tell us what we can do._"

I replied coldly, "While I appreciate the effort, I cannot bring myself to accept the help of a 'two-legs'. All I want is to be left alone, so I can get to my goal as fast as possible." "_The mountains, right?_" she stated. "_We can help you get there, without having to fight both wild Pokémon and trainers along the way. Please, I cannot in good conscience let you travel alone again. What if you get hurt again?_"

It hurt my heart to see her begging like this, but I still shook my head no. "_I will get stronger, on my own. I know better than to pick fights I cannot win, and the further I am from trainers, the better I will sleep at night. I'm sorry._" I pulled my paw out of her ribbon and turned away from both of them, dispelling the illusion in the process. Curling up to sleep, I ignored them as they left the den, though Kevin said to Eve that they would come back tomorrow. _Who cares?_ I thought. _ My answer will still be the same._ However, as he left, Kevin made one final comment to me: "If you trust humans so little, why did you choose to portray yourself as a trainer?"

**Hmmm... I wonder that myself... Just kidding! Well, though I hate to leave you guys on such a cliffhanger, you'll just have to wait until I get back online!**

**Please read and review, and may your Ember never fade!**


	16. Chapter 15 - Departure

**Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni here. Sorry it took so long to get this uploaded; I've been stuck on where I want to go with this story. Please, if you have any suggestions, I'm all ears. In the meantime, enjoy!**

I slept most of the next couple of days in silence. Kevin and Eve came to visit every day, but I just ignored them; I had made up my mind in regards to them, and nothing they could say would change my mind. I resolved to leave them behind once I could leave, and the farther away I was from them and this place, the better. The other lady came in as well, occasionally poking at my injuries and checking something.

Then, one morning, she walked in with a different manner about her. "Good news, Ninetales," she said rather joyfully. "The doctors say you are free to go. I'm sure you're anxious to leave…" I cut her off as I rose without a word and jumped off the bed. She looked like she wanted to say something, but I ignored her completely, walking out the door. I was completely fed up with everything and everyone at the moment; I lost precious time that I could not afford to. The Xatu's warning rung in my head again; I knew my answers would be found with that mysterious Ninetales.

Outside, Kevin and Eve were waiting for me. I started to walk past them, but one of Eve's ribbons wrapped itself tightly around my waist and wouldn't let go. "_What do you want?_" I growled at her.

"_I'm going with you,_" she said rather matter-of-factly. I stared at her in shock, and then glanced at Kevin. She spoke up before he could, saying, "_No, he's not coming with me. We talked it over, just the two of us, and agreed that since you refuse his help, you will have to settle for mine. We are NOT letting you go alone; not anymore._"

"_Oh, really?_" I snorted. "_Did he release you from his service?_" She shook her head. "_No, he still has my ball, but that could work to our advantage. If a trainer tries to catch you, I can intervene and block it. Regardless, you need training in how to fight, and who better to do so than a Pokémon who has been training since birth?_"

I grumbled about how I knew how to fight, but she just tightened her grip on me in protest. "_Don't give me that! Both Kevin and I saw your fight with Houndoom; you were hopelessly outmatched. Didn't your Nan teach you how to fight other Pokémon?_" I thought for a moment before saying, "_Actually, she only taught me how to dodge. I think she counted on always being there to protect me, from both trainers and other Pokémon. In the end, though, she couldn't protect herself._" I could feel tears pricking my eyes, but I ducked my head to hide them.

She seemed to notice my distress anyway, for her voice was softer. "_I don't mean to belittle her sacrifice, but it was very irresponsible of her. The wild is no place for lax training._" I spun on her and growled menacingly. "_We kept our den well hidden from EVERYONE, human and Pokémon alike! And how would you know? You've been human-raised from birth; you've never been in the wild!_"

"_I've heard stories from my parents, who were wild!_" she growled back; I was finally getting under her fur. "_That's not the point. The point is it's extremely dangerous to simply wander in the wild, so you need to learn to protect yourself! I feel with my combat knowledge, I can help you much better than trying to learn on your own. Now, stop being so stubborn and LET ME HELP YOU!_"

I turned away from her, trying to pull free, but her grip was too tight. Desperate, I tried a different tactic. "_You say that the two of you talked it out; how? Did your 'bond' mature enough that he could guess at what you said?_" To my surprise, she started to chuckle. "_Actually, no. Turns out my ribbons serve another function besides calming people down; when I hold someone with my ribbons, I can communicate with them quite easily, as well as serve as translator for other Pokémon. So, he actually understood ever word you just said!_"

I look over and see her other ribbon is wrapped around Kevin's ankle, and he seems to not be questioning anything we were saying to one another, so what she said must be true. "_Now,_" she said firmly. "_Why don't you tell me what your plan is from here on out? I know you need to head for the mountains, but you never told me why._"

I glared at her; I didn't want the human to know that. "_I'll only speak to you, not him. for all I know, he would follow us and catch…_" I quickly caught myself before I betrayed any more information. She released her grip on Kevin and beckoned me to continue with her ribbon. Sighing, I said, "_I was told by a Xatu that there is a Ninetales who lives at the base of the mountains; she had information about my past. She is also a friend of Nana, so I hoped she could help me free her from her trainer._"

"_There, now was that so hard?_" she chided me. "_You need to learn to trust people, especially if they are offering to help you. Now that everything is settled, we can start. I just need to say goodbye first._" I saw her reach again for Kevin, but she paused to say, "_I am going to tell him where we are headed, but only that; I promise._" I nodded, and she let go of me for a moment.

She held Kevin in conversation for a while, so I decided to tune her out. I sensed someone close by, like a scent drifting elusively on the wind. I looked around, but saw no one but us. "_All right, we can go,_" I heard Eve finally say, so I set out on the dirt path from the building. Once again, I felt her ribbons snake around my hind paw, pulling me to a stop. I turn to glare, only to notice her pointing the other way. "_The mountains are that way,_" she commented matter-of-factly. I grumbled under my breath, but turned around and walked into the trees, Eve keeping pace beside me. What I didn't notice was the glance between Eve and Kevin as we vanished into the underbrush.

**And there you have it; Sol is back on the road again, and this time with a companion. What will happen to the two of them this time? And will we see more of Kevin in the future? Find out next time!**

**Please read and review, and may your Ember never fade!**


	17. Chapter 16 - Travelling and a Dream

**Hello, everyone! Ta-Ni here. Finally, I find time to write and upload another chapter for you all. I sincerely apologize that it took so long, but I just couldn't find the time to sit down and write. Hopefully, the next one won't take as long. Enjoy!**

I marched long and hard into the forest, pretty much ignoring Eve behind me; once she pointed me in the right direction, I followed my own senses to keep going that way. To her credit, she kept up with me, even at this harsh pace, and didn't try and engage me in pointless banter. However, when night began to fall, she finally spoke up. "The sun is setting; we should start looking for shelter for the night." Once more, I ignored her and kept walking. She tried again. "Sol, are you listening? It would be best if we take shelter for the night, and continue in the morning!"

"Not really," I mumbled quietly. Louder, I said over my shoulder, "Why should we? I wasted enough time in that blasted…hospital…and want to make up for it now. Besides, I've travelled by night before without incident, and you can't say you cannot, either; you claimed you wanted to be an umbreon when you evolved, so much be at least partially nocturnal." I keep going and add, "There are also less two-legs about, at the very least."

"However," she countered. "There are more true nocturnal Pokémon around instead, like those houndour and houndoom you ran into earlier. Any 'training' I had when I was younger was lost when I evolved differently than intended, so I'm pretty much walking blind. Please, let's stop for the night; she's waited this long, so I think she can wait a little longer." I'm not sure if she's talking about Nana or the ninetales I'm looking for, but it doesn't matter. _She's being more of a burden than a help right now,_ I thought. _She's way too pampered to handle living out here, and she is SLOWING ME DOWN! I should just ditch her._ I growl quietly, and continue walking.

Suddenly, something wraps around my waist, carefully avoiding my tails, and brings me up short. I look to see she was ONCE AGAIN grabbed me with her ribbon feelers, and was standing ground against me as I struggled to break free. "You know, I don't appreciate being mon-handled so often," I commented dryly, and pull with all my weight. However, despite being half my size, her grip on me holds firmly. Her voice is just as firm, with no sign of strain, as she says, "I am here to advise you, one way or another, and I ADVISE we rest for the night! Now, are you going to take my advice, or am I going to have to drag you there?"

I struggle once more, if only for pride's sake, but it's no use; I sighed and followed as she half-led, half-dragged me to a shelter made in the roots of a large tree. It's barely large enough for the both of us, and as we settled in, she didn't let go of me in the slightest. She insisted I lay down first, and then she cuddles in beside me, laying between me and the exit. I try and make her uncomfortable, saying, "I don't think your trainer would approve of being so clingy toward me."

She scoffs. "You and I both know the second I let go of you, you'll take off. So, I'm not letting you go until you fall asleep. Besides, this is purely platonic; my one and only love is Brian, so don't try any funny business. Now, go to sleep!" A soothing aura seeped into me from the ribbon around my waist, making my eyelids heavy; she was essentially drugging me to sleep! I tried to shake off the effect, but it was too much, and I slipped into dreamland.

_I wander under a vast starlit sky. Looking up, I can see multitudes of stars, each representing the lives and events of my ancestors. This is the vast knowledge I can draw from as a ninetales, learning from those that came before, whether they have passed on or not. Curiously, one star seems brighter than the others, and I find myself drawn toward following it._

_The star brightens even further, blotting out its neighbors until my entire vision turns white. Then, suddenly, I find myself in the forest again…no, this is a different forest. It's similar to the one I grew up in, and yet slightly different. Ahead of me, another ninetales basks in the setting sun, drawing strength from the fading heat in preparation for nighttime. I realize I'm viewing a memory._

_Suddenly, the ninetales senses something; her ears perk up, and she turns to see a two-legs standing across from her. The figure seems familiar, but I can't place it from within the memory. He shouts something in challenge, but I cannot make out the words, and then suddenly a large dragon materializes from nowhere. Again, it seems familiar, but nothing comes to mind. the dragon attacks, but my ancestor dodges easily. Brushing her tails against the beast, she cripples it, then knocks it out in one blow._

_My ancestor walks away, as the two-legs makes the dragon vanish again, but then he lunges toward her. As his fingers brush against her tails…_

_A brief brilliance blinds me and some force knocks me out of the memory; I blink to clear my eyes and find myself back in the starry void. However, the images of the two figures, the two-legs and the dragon, remain vivid in my mind, and I recognize both of them clearly now! The dragon is the same one that visited me when I was a kit, the one looking for his trainer. And the two-legs is the form I chose to borrow for my illusion back at the hospital!_

**_Ah, one more step closer._**

_I start at the sudden voice, and turn to find the xatu standing behind me. "What do you mean?" I ask. "Are these figures important to me?"_

**_Yes and no,_**_ it replies. __**What you saw was indeed a memory; a recent memory from the one you seek. However, it is also tied to your past, and possibly the future.**_

_"I-is that why I feel some sort of connection to the two-legs?" I ask. "What does he have to do with me?"_

**_I cannot answer that; only she can,_**_ it replies. __**I will mention this, though. You will require the assistance of your travelling companion in the future, so it is in your best interest to be a little more…civil.**_

_He started to fade; no, everything was fading. One by one, the stars winked out, and…_

I woke up, finding myself alone in the little shelter. Sunlight was streaming through the cracks in the roots. Eve was nowhere to be found, but as I rose and walked out of the shelter, she appeared from the underbrush, slowly carrying what looked like a half-eaten stantler. She noticed me and said, "Found this lying around, so I figured it would make a good breakfast. Sleep well?"

I nodded, but didn't mention my dream. Once more, I could sense someone else watching me from the shadows, but my senses couldn't detect anyone besides Eve and I. _Why had the xatu come to me in my dream?_ I thought as I tore into the stantler meat. _What did he mean about Eve?_ Remembering my earlier antagonism toward her last night, I mumble, "S-sorry."

"What?" she asks. A little clearer, I said, "I-I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to be so stubborn and snarky. I'm not used to being around others, and I was also afraid I was running out of time. I know I have a long way to go, but I feel every second I'm away from Nana, she could be in greater danger."

Eve walked up next to me and nuzzled into my shoulder. "I can only imagine what you're going through, but that's all the more reason to trust me. At the very least, I can offer moral support; that's what sylveons do best. Now, let's finish up; we have a long way to go to reach the mountains." I offered her a weak smile, feeling a little better, and return to my breakfast.

**And there you have it. I tried not to make it too filler-y, but I'm not sure where exactly I want this story to go. Any advice would be appreciated, so please read and review!**

**And may your Ember never fade in the new year!**


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